DAMAGE GROWTH IN CARBON-FIBER PEEK UNIDIRECTIONAL COMPOSITES UNDER COMPRESSION

The mode of compressive damage growth in unidirectional PEEK composite s is investigated. A detailed systematic study of the nature of damage evolution is presented and the micromechanical basis for treating com pressive damage as a crack-like feature is explained. Experimental and theoretical findings conclude that there is a strong scientific basis for treating compressive damage growth in fibre-reinforced polymer ma trix composites as a bridged mode I crack in compression. A large-scal e crack bridging model has been successful in predicting the steady-st ate damage propagation stress as a function of damage growth in notche d composites. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science S.A. All rights reserved.